Pressure-control device for use in coupling oil-well casing



July 17, 1928.

G. WHALEY PRESSURE CONTROL DEVICE FOR USE IN COUPLING OIL WELL CASING Filed Feb. 11. 1926 WITNESSES Ill) Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED sra 'rss PATENT orrics.

EMERY GRACEY WHALEY, OF ENID, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK EDWARD SACKBIDER,

OF ENID, OKLAHOMA.

PRESSURE-CONTROL DEVICE FOR USE IN COUPLING OIL-WELL CASING.

Application filed February My present invention relates generally to what is commonly known as tongin oil well casing, or in other words, coupling or connecting sections of the as it is gradually lowered into the well by virtue of their threaded ends. This is accomplished at the present time in a more or less haphazard manner, which results in turning some joints too tight and others nottight enough. In either instance the results are undesirable as the threads are likely to be ruined by turning the joints too tight, while they are justas likely to be stripped and ruined should the casing come apart in the well at a joint which has been insulliciently tightened.

It is a common practice to withdraw casing from a well'and either subsequently utilize it in the same or a diliereut well, and it is obviously an in'iporta'nt consideration that the threads be carefully preserved for the above reason. At the present time no means are employed to insure unitt'orn'i tonging at a desirable pressure, and as a conse quence the threads of the casing sui'ler to a material extent and give rise to considerable unnecessary expense. 7

My present invention purposes a device adapted to be interposed within the coupling or tonging connections, whereby the pre sure may be measured and whereby the joints between the several sections of the casing may be completed in this way uniformly at the corrector desired pressure. In addition, my invention .has for its objectthe provision of an etliect-ive clticient device of the above character, which may be made strong and durable, and whereby itis adapted to endure under the severely rough usage to which oil well apparatus is necessarily subjected.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my present invention and forms a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im proved pressure control device;

Figure 2 isa vertical longitudinal section taken therethrough;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed section taken'longitudinally through a portion of the cylinder or barrel and the piston there in, and,

Figures 4: and 5 are enlarged, detail cross 11, 1926. Serial No. 87,696.

sections taken respectively on lines 44 and 55 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the figures my inventron purposes an apparatus adapted to be interposed within the tong ng connections ordinarily employed in the coupling of the sections of oil Well casing as the same is lowcred into the ground, and having for this purpose a ring at one end for connection to the usual jerk line, and having a devicelike coupling 11 at its opposite end for connection to the usual tong handle or lever.

The ring 10'is joined to the central portion of av block 12 between and connected to the outer free ends of a pair of connecting bars 13, which extend along opposite sides of a cylinder or barrel 1 1, and are joined at their inner ends to a cross head 15. will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the connecting bars lay closely alongside the barrel or cylinder 14 and are curved to conform to the contour or this barrel whereby they cooperate with the barrel and form effective efficientguides li'or the jerk line ring 10.

As will also be seen in Fig. 5, the cross head 15 closely andslidably interfits the barrel or casing 14 and has oppositely projecting side portions 16 projecting through longitudinal side slots 17 of the barrel or casing, these projections 16 slightly flaring as shown, and thus cooperating in the support and guiding of the connecting bars 13, to the inner ends of which side projections 16 of the cross head are directly joined.

The barrel or cylinder 14 has one closed end 18 nearest the jerk line ring 10, and adjacent to its closed end 18, the barrel or cylinder hasa pressure gauge 19. lVithin the opposite end of the cylinder or barrel 14 a block 20 is secured and this block supports the clevice-like coupling 11 before referred to.

The casing or barrel 14 is also provided intermediate its ends with an external handle 21, and has therein a piston 22, preterably provided with multiple rings 23 eng'aging the inner surface of the barrel or cylinder. in Fig. 3, is provided with an axial bore 24, which bore is reduced at one end of the pis ton and has a tapering portion 25 intermediate the piston ends to cooperate with the tapering portion 26 of a piston rod 27 ex The body of this piston, as best seen tending through the piston bore and having a nut'28 threadedly connected and secured upon its reduced terminal 25) so as to abut one end of the piston This nut. has one surface radially grooved as at 30, so that duru 3; retracti-le movements of the piston air may lind its way into the working chamber bctween the piston and the closed end, 18 ot the cylinder or barrel, such air passing through the boreo't' the-piston witain longitudinal grooves 31 ot the piston rod 27 adjacent to its tapering portion 26 it being understood that duringthe retractile movement otthe piston, its rod 27, moving slightly with respect to the piston so as to shift its tapering surface 26 out o1? contact with the tapering surface of the piston bore thus opens communication between the pieton rod grooves 31 and the grooves 30 ol": the rod holding nut- 28.

During forward operative movements of the piston to compress the air between the piston and, the closed end 18' of the barrel or cylinder, the tapering; surfaces 25 and 26 of the pis on and its rod, are in engaged relation,.whereby to defeat leakage through the pistonas the latter moves toward the closed end of the cylinder or barrelit is obvious that by virtue of the handle Bhthe device as a whole may be readily handled and moved vtron] placeto pl ace. as well as manipulated in the connection of the device by virtue of the clcviccdike coupling 11 to the usual. tong'ing handle or lever and its connection by virture oi the ring 10 with the usual jerk line.

Then when-the jerk line pulled, it is obvious that through the connecting bars 13, the power is applied to the tonginp; handle or lever through the air compressed in the working chamber of the barrel or cylinder, between the closed end of the latter and the piston, It is equally obvious such pressure is indicated at all times by the pressure gauge 19, and in this way the exact pressure appliet to the tonging handle or lever may be readily seen at all. times.

In this way it obvious that several tongiup; operations necessary in coupling casing sections to be lowered into a well, may be made uniform, irrespective of the particular character of power utilized for actuating the jerk line, and on account thereof it is insured, that all pipe connections may be com pleted' at just the desired pressure, as inclicated by the pressure gauge 1S). so'that the casing threads will be engaged tight enough for proper service, and yet not so tight as to "endanger their injury.

The particular device proposed by my in vention for the above purposes, while susceptible of various changes and modifications, is obviously capable of being made st ong, and durable in spite of the rofl to which oil. well appliances are necessul'liected in the field.

l claim l. in a device oi the character described, a cylinder or barrelclosed' at one end and lono' 'udinally slotted adjacent to its opposite cub, a coupling member carried by the last mentioned end of the cylinder or barrel, a cross head slid-ably interfitting' the barrel and having projecting side portions extending; through the slots thereof a piston rod connected at one end centrally of said cross head and guided thereby axially oi the cylinder. a piston at the other end of the rod movable toward and away from. the closed end of the barrel or cylinder and forming therein an a r pressure chambt-n' a pressure indicator carried by the barrel or cylinder in communication with the said chamber, connecting bars extending along opposite sides of the cylinder and connected at one end to the projecting side portions 0'! the cross head and project-- ing at their opposite ends beyond the closed end oi the barrel or cylinder. a coupling me ier carried by the last mentioned ends of too said connectingbars. said piston having a valvular movement longitudinally of the rod and said connecting bars closely embracing the F'des ot the barrel or cylinder and transv ly curved to present inner concave tacos conforming to the contour of the cylinder, whereby to act as guides for the lac" mentioned coupling; member and cooperatiug with the guidingcross head in use.

2. In a device oi: the character described. a cylinder or barrel closed at one end and longitudinally slotted adjacent to its opposite end a (Oll fiilng member carried by the last mentioned end of the cylinder or barrel, a cross head Within the barrel h aving projecting side portions extending through the slots thereof. a niston rod connected at one end to said cross head, a piston at the other end of the rod movable toward and awa y from the closed end of the barrel or cylinder and forming therein a working chamber. a pressure indicator carried by the barrel or cylinder in communication with the said. working chamber, connec ng; ba s extending along opposite sides oi L c nder and connected one end to the projection; side portions of the cross head and projecting: at their opposite ends beyond the closed end of the barrel or cylinder, a couplingmember carried bythe lastmentioned ends of the said connectin bars, said piston and said rod having relatively movable portions engageable when the piston moves in one direction and shift-. able away from one another when the piston moves in the opposite direction.

EMERY GRACEY VVHALEYQ 

